Woman, 72, charged in attempted murder/suicide

Officials say a woman gave her ill husband an overdose of pills and took an overdose herself so they could both “go to heaven."

By Austin L. MillerStaff writer

A woman who officials say gave her ill husband an overdose of pills and took an overdose herself so they could both “go to heaven” has been charged with attempted murder.

Lydia Herrera, 72, was picked up by Marion County Sheriff's Office officials Tuesday at her Pine Run residence and was taken to the Marion County Jail.

On Jan. 29, medical personnel responded to the home in reference to a medical issue involving Herrera and her husband. Jario Herrera, 82, and found the two had overdosed. The case was described by MCSO officials as an attempted murder/attempted suicide.

At Munroe Regional Medical Center, a doctor told law enforcement officials that Jario Herrera has Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. A neighbor earlier had told a Star-Banner reporter that Lydia Herrera has COPD.

Officials were told by medical personnel that Lydia Herrera gave her husband 18 Xanax pills and she also took the same number of pills so they could “both go to heaven.”

Detective Bobby Levay interviewed Lydia Herrera at the hospital and she told him her husband has Alzheimer's and said it is very difficult to take care of him and that she also has serious medical issues, which made it even more difficult to care for him.

She told Levay her husband woke up in the middle of the night, which woke her up. At the time, she said, she felt “overwhelmed and depressed.” She said she made her husband some hot chocolate and put 20 pills in the drink. She said he told her it was bitter, so she warmed it up and he drank it. She said she then took numerous pills and they both went to bed.

Levay later served a search warrant at the home, where several prescription pill bottles were found next to the bed.

Chief Assistant State Attorney Ric Ridgway said that when the case initially was being discussed, they decided not to charge Lydia Herrera.

Once she and her husband were discharged from the hospital, they went to separate care facilities. After both were released from those facilities, they returned home.

With the two of them living together and their family members being concerned for their well-being, the decision was made to arrest her so the incident would not be repeated.

“We couldn't take the chance of her succeeding in either killing him or herself,” Ridgway said.

Detectives and State Attorney's Office officials met to discuss the case and it was decided to charge Herrera with attempted murder.

At the jail Tuesday, she was placed on suicide watch. On Wednesday, seated in a wheelchair with her oxygen tank close by, she made her first appearance in front of Judge Sarah Ritterhoff Williams. Herrera's bond was set at $5,000. She was appointed a public defender.

After the hearing, Herrera said she did not want to talk about her case. She did say, however, that her husband has Alzheimer's and that he did not know what had happened. She said he is doing “all right,” and added, “it's painful.”

Family members could not be reached for comment, but two neighbors spoke to the press.

Sandriana Hulleman, one of the people who entered the home on Jan. 29, said she was surprised Herrera was charged due to her illness. At the time of the incident, Hulleman told the Star-Banner that Herrera has COPD.

John Newman, the neighbor who dismantled the door knob that day so they could enter the residence after Herrera's friends had come to the home when they did not hear from her, said while she broke the law, he doesn't think she should be arrested, much less go to jail, because her husband has Alzheimer's and she has a serious illness.

According to officials, Jario Herrera is now being cared for in a local facility.